Trade Pacts

CWA Canada, in conjunction with the Trade Justice Network, seeks to highlight the need for a more sustainable, equitable and socially just international trade regime.

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Media union applauds feds’ tough talk on protecting Canadian media, cultural industries-OTTAWA – CWA Canada, the country’s only all-media union, welcomes the federal government’s promise to stand firm on protecting Canada’s cultural industries, including media, in the current NAFTA negotiations. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said yesterday that he would not sign a deal that undermines Canada’s cultural exemption, such as allowing American media conglomerates to buy Canadian news companies. The NAFTA cultural exemption recognizes Canada’s right to protect its culture. “We’re glad to hear the prime minister taking a firm stance on this,” CWA Canada President Martin O’Hanlon said. “Protecting our media and cultural industries from big profit-driven American companies is critical to our society and our democracy.” “We only need look at what has happened to Postmedia to see how destructive control by foreign investors can be. Even with current laws, an American hedge fund was able to take effective control of our country’s biggest newspaper chain, resulting in the loss of more than 3,000 jobs, the closure of local papers, and leaving our major daily newspapers a shell of their former selves. It’s bad for journalism, bad for communities, and bad for democracy.” While the cultural exemption is reportedly not a major issue in the NAFTA negotiations, it remains [...]

Critics say Trump NAFTA replacement too similar to TPP-ADAM BEHSUDI | Politico President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to bring sweeping changes to the “terrible” North American Free Trade Agreement just got a dose of reality. An eight-page draft letter to Congress outlining the administration’s negotiating objectives shows how daunting it will be to translate campaign rhetoric to real policy changes that will achieve Trump’s goals of bringing jobs back to the U.S.and cutting the trade deficit. Critics are pointing out that the White House blueprint for changing NAFTA sounds a lot like the defunct Trans-Pacific Partnership deal negotiated by the Obama administration because it includes calls for U.S. trading partners to adhere to strict labor and environmental standards. At the same time, it doesn’t address issues that Trump touted on the campaign trail, such as currency manipulation. Read the whole story at Politico.com

Trade Pacts-CWA Canada, in conjunction with the Trade Justice Network, seeks to highlight the need for a more sustainable, equitable and socially just international trade regime.

Canadian Labour Congress makes TPP a top priority-Tackling the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is now a top priority for the 3.3-million-member Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). The CLC’s governing body agreed to the change last week after being urged to do so by CWA Canada President Martin O’Hanlon. “Now that the federal election is over, I’m writing to urge that we reassess our goals and make stopping the TPP a top priority,” O’Hanlon wrote in a letter to the CLC’s Canadian Council. He added that advancing the cause of working people “must include stopping or revising the TPP.” With the newly elected Liberal government confirming it will repeal two anti-union bills — C-377 and C-525 — that were rammed through by the Harper Conservatives, O’Hanlon observed that labour no longer has to be on the defensive and can turn its attention to the TPP. So far, the campaign against the TPP in this country has been led by the Trade Justice Network, a coalition of civil society and labour groups, largely directed and funded by CWA Canada. “We now look forward to convincing the new government that Parliament must not ratify the TPP without fundamental changes,” O’Hanlon said. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to “consult” on the [...]

Evangeline Lilly sounds the alarm over TPP with show in Toronto-A Canadian star is adding her voice to a chorus of advocacy and labour groups in denouncing the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, teaming up with punk rockers and hip hop artists in an effort to reach an audience that might not otherwise care about international trade. Actress Evangeline Lilly, best known for her role in the hit TV series “Lost,” will be speaking at the Rock Against the TPP show in Toronto on Friday, the touring event’s only Canadian stop. Lilly, who is Canadian but lives in the U.S., called the TPP a “backdoor way for multinationals to squeeze things into law” without the usual public scrutiny. Read the full article in The Global & Mail.

CWA Canada

Communications Workers
of America / CANADA

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The Media Union

We are Canada's oldest media union with roots going back to the 1800s. We represent workers in the communications industry, from news services to print, digital, radio, television and mailing operations. Our employers include the CBC, The Canadian Press, VICE Media and major newspapers from coast to coast.